AN: And here it is, the sequel to I Make Men Weak at the Knees.

Disclaimer: I feel the need to make it clear I'm not a thief, and I don't endorse becoming a career criminal.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

"Bobby."

Bobby looked up at the figure in the doorway of the rec room with a sinking feeling and a sense of horror.

"L-Logan?" he stammered.

The Wolverine stepped into the rec room, claws extended. He made a low growling noise.

"You cheated on Rogue."

Bobby swallowed nervously.

"Ahh, well, yeah, I did. But it was three years ago!"

"Yeah? And three years later Rogue isn't here any more."

"I didn't know she'd take off like that!" Bobby replied, holding his hands up in the air even as he backed off the lounge.

"Shouldn't have done it at all."

Everyone in the rec room was silent, watching as Logan slowly but steadily walked toward Bobby, who was now plush against the wall. Kitty fidgeted nervously on the lounge.

"I know that! I do, and I'm sorry. I tried to find her, but I lost track of her after she hit California and she never came back when the 'cure' wore off."

Logan paused.

"She went to California?"

Bobby took a deep breath, sensing he'd bought himself some valuable time.

"Yeah," he replied, nodding vigorously. "There was a series of motorcycle thefts all with the same MO. I don't know if the police really noticed because they were across country, but I was looking. She was spotted by a witness once or twice - the white streak does make her pretty distinctive. The thefts stopped when she hit California. Or she changed her MO. I went looking heaps of times, I swear!"

"I want to know everything you found."

"You can have it! We can hit the computer lab right now and I'll print everything out for you!"

Logan jerked his head towards the door and Bobby scampered out, relieved to be alive.

Rogue yawned, waking to a prodding in her side.

"Oh good you're awake," Gambit joked.

"Barely," Rogue frowned looking out the window. "Where are we?"

"This is my home. Just outside of N'Awlins where the Assassins Guild can't complain."

Rogue stared as Gambit opened the front gates via remote control.

"This is your place? It's huge!"

"Well, sometimes mon père takes pity on moi and we have the Guild Christmas party here. And if you think this place is big, you should see the Guild headquarters," he mused. "Actually, you have to see the Guild headquarters anyway."

He chuckled to himself as they drove down the driveway.

"I'm guessing you have a groundskeeper as well as a housekeeper?"

"Oui. You don't really think you can get me out in a garden? Black thumbs, chére, black thumbs."

Rogue laughed.

"Actually, they're hired by the Guild itself, not moi. I'm not here half the time, so sometimes the Guild uses my place for... other stuff."

"I see."

"It's a fair exchange," he remarked as he parked the car in the garage.

They got out, grabbed their things and headed inside. Rogue gave a low whistle.

"Wow, this makes my old apartment look like a dump. Oh wait, it was."

"Not even that much now," Gambit chuckled. "Fire pit."

"Yeah."

Much later, after they had settled in, Gambit handed Rogue a cube with six locks, one on each side, and a set of lock picks.

"Here you are, chérie," he said. "You now get to learn how to pick locks."

Rogue turned the cube over.

"Interesting."

"The locks are numbered - one is easiest, six is hardest. When you unlock all six locks, the cube'll open and you'll get your next set of instructions. Have fun."

"I'm sure I will," she replied as she settled down on the lounge.

"Oh, and chére? A tip. Try to remember what actions cause what reactions."

"Alrightly then."

Gambit grinned and fished out his phone.

"This is Gambit for Jean-Luc," he said when his call was picked up on the other end. "Merci."

He waited for the call to be transferred.

"Bonjour mon père," he greeted. "Oui, just today."

Rogue listened to Gambit half of the conversation as the pleasantries began to turn into an argument. Half of it was in French though, which lead Rogue to wonder if she was going to have to become well versed in that language as well.

Gambit muttered something in annoyance as the call ended and sat down on another lounge.

"Mon frère will be coming over tomorrow."

"Okay."

"He's going to be doing an assessment on your suitability as my apprentice."

"I didn't know I needed to be assessed."

"Normally you don't. Mon père is... concerned that I've taken on a common thug 'cause she's cute."

"Oooh, I'm a common thug huh?"

"Apparently. He's most put off by the fact that you don't even know how to lock pick," Gambit sighed. "I kept trying to tell him you've been busy stealing things kept under different locks but ooooh nooooo, he has to go and enact that stupid assessment clause that usually gets ignored."

"What happens if I fail?"

"Guild won't acknowledge you as my apprentice. Don't mean you can't still be, between us, just means that until you pass your Tilling - that's the initiation - you don't get to go on Guild grounds or otherwise be involved in Guild activities. It's a hassle for me too 'cause I can't use you to run Guild errands for in in N'Awlins either. Plus I have to pay a 'bribe' to convince the Guild to give you a Tilling. If you pass - which you will - I'll get refunded, so that's no big deal there."

"Wow, sounds complicated."

"Don't worry, Guild bureaucracy ain't that bad. We're thieves after all; we prefer to break rules."

Rogue chuckled.

"Okay, so what does this assessment entail?"

"Henri'll do a little interview, prior experience, blah blah blah," Gambit paused. "Don't tell him about the heist - I'll tell him about that. I think he's going to need a little demonstration of what type of stealing you can do before we explain your part in that."

Rogue grinned at the mischievous expression lighting up Gambit's face.

"Then he'll probably come back a week later to see how you're doing in your lessons. So for you that'll be Guild regs and lock picking. Maybe I'll get you started on pick pocketing too, just for some variety."

"Sure why not?" Rogue mused. "Not like I have anything else to do."

"Oh oui, you will."

"I distrust the way you say that."

"Let's just say, I'm remembering all the perks that come with having an apprentice."

"Ohhh really?"

"It's a good thing I already have a housekeeper."

"Uh huh. I'm sensing it's a good thing I'm the one with the boobs."

"Y'know chére," Gambit replied, making a point of looking at her chest. "I think that's why mon père is worried about you."

Rogue laughed.

As expected, Henri arrived the following day. Gambit answered the door as soon as he heard it knock and the two hugged before Henri came inside.

"Good to see you again, Remy," Henri said. "When did you get back?"

"Just yesterday. How's Mercy and the boys?"

"They're fine."

They stepped into the lounge room and Henri's eyes ran over Rogue where she was lying on the lounge chair, her back propped up against one arm, while her legs were draped over the other. She was busy at work with the lock cube.

"And this is your new apprentice?"

"Oui. Henri, this is Rogue. Rogue, this is mon frère, Henri."

Rogue looked up and glanced over him.

"Bonjour," she said, and turned back to the cube.

"Okay then," Henri said, looking amused. "She just lost major points there for being your type."

"Excusez-moi?" Gambit said.

"Oui. I'm assessing her on a scale of one to ten. Where ten is 'Potential asset to the Guild' and one is 'Remy is thinking with his dick'. Right now, she rates one."

Rogue snickered.

"Well, in that case," Gambit said, not without a glare for his brother, "You may as well know now that oui, we are sleeping together so just make it a minus five and we'll work our way up from there."

Henri considered Gambit thoughtfully.

"You must be pretty confident she's going to make up those points."

"I think I should be offended that you and Père think that I would take on a femme as an apprentice just 'cause she happens to be sexy."

"It's your own fault, Swamp Rat," Rogue said. "You're the one who's been living the playboy lifestyle."

"If she wasn't already on minus five I'd take another point off for proving my point," Henri laughed. "When did you start on the cube?"

"Yesterday."

"And which lock are you on?"

"Four."

Henri raised his eyebrows as he took a seat.

"Well, I suppose you would have better dexterity than most of the apprentices. Of course, most apprentices are younger," he added with a pointed look at Gambit.

"Most apprentices aren't nearly as attractive either."

"As all of your apprentices until now have been garçons -"

"Non! You forget Ororo."

"- with the exception of Ororo, I'm rather relieved to hear you say that."

"That wouldn't be Ororo Monroe, would it?" Rogue asked.

"Oui, how'd you know?"

Rogue started to laugh.

"Oh, you're kidding me? The head of the Xavier Institute used to be a thief?"

"A pretty good one too," Gambit sighed. "But her powers kept insisting on going haywire on her and she took Xavier up on his offer to go his school. So, Stormy's in charge now is she? Good for her."

"Well, she was three years ago anyway."

"This is all very interesting," Henri cut in. "But if you'll recall I do have a job to do. Remy? Why don't you make yourself useful and make some coffee? So Rogue, what kind of thefts have you been getting up to? Nutshell, no detail."

"Motor vehicle - usually motorcycles. And let's just say that any guys who get a little too friendly have been known to end up with a mouthful of concrete and a missing wallet. What's next? You gonna ask me why I want to join the Guild?"

"What thief wouldn't want to join the Guild?"

Rogue laughed.

"I also do illegal street racing."

"Ever cheat?"

"Hmm... sometimes I used my powers to give myself an unfair advantage," Rogue mused.

"That works."

"What she scoring now?" asked Gambit, returning inside with the coffee.

"That was quick," Henri said suspiciously.

"I already boiled the water in anticipation of your arrival."

"I'm sensing you know me too well."

"Either that, or you're just predictable. So? what's the score?"

"Hmph," Henri considered. "Points for opportunism, cheating and stealing in general... let's make it a nice round 0."

"What's zero on the scale of one to ten, if one is 'Remy is thinking with his dick'?" Rogue asked. "Actually for that matter, what would minus five be?"

"Minus five is 'Rogue is a dominatrix who is bullying Remy into doing her bidding'," Gambit joked.

"I don't want to know what you deux get up to in the bedroom," Henri said, shaking his head.

"But Rogue's a zero now, not a minus five, so it's all good."

"Although you have to admit... the woman who can tame you probably is worthy of joining the Guild. Of course, you're probably not a suitable teacher then, 'cause a student shouldn't have the authority over the teacher."

Rogue gave Henri an amused look as there was a rather audible click from the lock box. Henri frowned.

"Did you just unlock number quatre?"

"Oui," Rogue replied smugly. "Guess I'd better start on five."

"And you've only been on it a day?"

"Oui."

"Since when did you start using the word 'oui', Rogue?" asked Gambit.

"It sounds more pompous than 'yes'," Rogue responded as she turned the cube over. "And your brother's just asking for pomposity."

Gambit chuckled while Henri rolled his eyes.

"Well, I think I'll put you up to one for fast learner," he mused. "Although I really think I should take a point off for being a smart ass."

"You'd have to take points off all of us for that one, Henri," Gambit said. "Besides, you already took points off for her being my type, no?"

"True enough," Henri smirked.

"Oh, by the way," Gambit said. "Rogue wouldn't have told you, but she assisted moi on my last job."

"Oh really?"

"Oui. She provided the distraction."

"Yeah? Well, I suppose there are a few men out there who would find Rogue just as distracting as you do."

"Especially when she's just ran a stolen motorcycle into a building and needs to be rushed off to hospital."

"Quoi?"

"Sure. She conned the building security guards, and then the paramedics and the folks at the nearest hospital that not only was she dying, but she did in fact, die. She also killed the computers in the security office. Bought moi so much time I could have done thirty laps around the floor and still gotten out without being spotted once."

"How in the world did you manage that?" Henri asked, staring at Rogue. "I've heard of people faking their deaths before but usually there aren't any witnesses."

"Didn't she tell you what her power is?" Gambit asked innocently.

"Non... Just what is your mutation?" Henri asked, remembering that she said she used it to her advantage during races.

Rogue smirked and put the cube aside.

"I steal people."

"Come again?"

"I touch someone, skin to skin, I steal them. Thoughts, memories powers. And I can use those powers on cue."

To demonstrate Rogue pulled out Gambit's psyche and allowed her eyes to change colour. Henri stared and swore.

"Something wrong, mon frère?" Rogue asked.

There was a flash and Henri turned to glare at Gambit who was grinning widely with camera in hand. Rogue put Gambit's psyche away.

"Oh this is a keeper," Gambit said smugly, reviewing the photo.

"Okay..." Henri said slowly. "That was freaky."

"Good," Rogue said. "That's what I was going for."

"You succeeded! Dieu... you said thoughts and memories?"

"I can pick up any specific information out of someone's head that I want. I just have to go looking for it. Otherwise what I pick up is random."

"So... if I were to ask you what I had for breakfast this morning, you could touch me and find out?"

"I could. Is that a request?"

Henri paused.

"Oui."

"You'll probably feel dizzy, but I'll try to keep you from passing out."

Before Henri had a chance to object to this, Rogue had touched him. Finding out what he had for breakfast was easy enough, mostly because he'd been thinking about it to begin with, so the absorption was quick and Rogue was able to let go with Henri not feeling anything more than a spot of vertigo.

"Toast with marmalade jam, black coffee, no sugar. And you swiped a cookie from the jar when you thought Tante Mattie wasn't looking," Rogue reported when Henri recovered.

Gambit laughed.

"Still sneaking cookies, Henri?"

"Hey, they're good cookies."

"That they are... did you happened to steal one for moi?"

"Non."

"Pity. Roguey? When you meet Tante Mattie, you have to tell her that Remy asked for a batch of her world famous cookies."

Rogue giggled.

"I'll do that."

"That remains to be seen," Henri said. "I haven't made my decision yet. There's still the follow up in a weeks time."

"Oh yeah?" Gambit asked mused. "And what does she rate now that you know she can not only steal information but mutant powers?"

For a long moment Henri said nothing.

"Merde, Remy," he said finally. "I'm going to give her a nine, but I'm thinking it's more like a fifteen."

"What's fifteen?" Rogue asked, sounding amused.

"Something like 'probably end up running the Guild one day'."

Rogue laughed.

"Don't tell Père I said that," Henri added. "Besides, we've yet to have any idea on how you do with rules and regs. Started on that yet?"

"I glanced over it yesterday."

"Speaking of not telling Père things," Gambit said slyly. "You want to keep this one under you hat?"

"What are you plotting?"

"I just want to surprise Père during the registration. Oh, and could you take a picture of the look on his face for moi?"

"What kind of surprise?"

"Oh, nothing much. I just figured Roguey could sign the register for moi."

"Oh?"

Gambit pulled out a pen and paper and inclined his head to Rogue. With a smirk, Rogue leaned over the table, pulled out Gambit's psyche again and drew his signature. Gambit leaned back to admire her behind and Henri rolled his eyes. As Rogue put his psyche away, Gambit wrote his signature himself so Henri could compare.

"Père's gonna go spare," Henri said, shaking his head at the identical signatures.

"I could be in serious trouble if Rogue ever absorbs Mystique," Gambit smirked. "Queen of identify fraud."

Rogue chuckled and Henri caught her eyes.

"I think that we'll have to take you on chérie," Henri said. "I don't think we'll be able to afford to have you not be a member of the Guild."

"In other words, he's afraid of what you might do if we can't ensure your loyalty," Gambit grinned at Rogue.

"It's nice to know I inspire fear," Rogue joked.

"Wait... could you forge my signature now?" Henri asked abruptly.

Rogue shrugged.

"I wasn't looking to find out how you write yours. Probably not."

"Just how... complete is this mind stealing?"

"Copying would probably be more accurate. I don't believe I've ever copied anyone's complete mind, but I wouldn't really want to. The human mind create memories for literally everything we do, including mundane stuff like getting out of bed in the morning, going to the bathroom, picking your nose -"

Henri snickered.

"Length and strength of contact determine how much I pick up," Rogue finished. "A brief session - like what I gave you - will result in a brief dizzy spell. The more intense the session, the more likely they are to pass out or fall into a coma. Potentially, I could kill someone that way. I imagine in such an event I would get a complete copy of their mind, but murder isn't really my thing."

Henri nodded slowly, then turned to look at Gambit, who was smirking smugly at him.

"You sure know how to pick 'em, Remy."

"What can I say? She makes me go weak at the knees."

Rogue laughed and Henri had the feeling like he was missing something.